The provisions of the California Residential Code, 2025 Edition, including Appendices H, K, and V as published by the International Code Council, and subsequent Editions as adopted by the State of California, Building Standards Commission, or successor agency are adopted by reference, subject to the additions and amendments set forth in this Chapter.
(Ord. 2019-10, eff. 1/1/20; Ord. 2022-06, eff. 1/1/23; Ord. 2025-05, eff. 1/1/2026)
Subsection R105.2 of Section R105 of Chapter 1 of the California Residential Code, 2025 Edition, is amended by replacing Building: items 1, 2 & 3 to read as follows:
(1) 
One-story detached accessory buildings used as tool and storage sheds, playhouses, and similar uses, and constructed on a parcel approved for the construction of one detached, single-family dwelling provided:
(A) 
The floor area does not exceed one hundred twenty (120) square feet.
(B) 
The maximum height above adjacent grade shall not exceed eight feet (8').
(C) 
The maximum ceiling height shall not exceed seven feet (7').
(D) 
The maximum length-to-width ratio of the building shall not exceed two to one (2:1).
(E) 
The building shall not be located closer than five feet (5') from any other building on the site.
(F) 
Electrical, plumbing, or mechanical installations are prohibited.
(G) 
Accessory buildings must be located behind the front wall of the dwelling unit and screened by a six-foot (6') fence or wall.
(H) 
The number of exempt accessory buildings shall be limited to two (2).
(2) 
Wood, chain link, or similar fences not over six (6') feet high, except those fences which include masonry or similar pilasters.
(3) 
Retaining or garden walls that are not over four (4') feet in height measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, unless supporting a surcharge or impounding Class I, II, or IIIA liquids.
(Ord. 2019-10, eff. 1/1/20; Ord. 2022-06, eff. 1/1/23; Ord. 2025-05, eff. 1/1/2026)
Section R105.5 of Chapter 1 of the California Residential Code, 2025 Edition, is amended in its entirety as follows.
R105.5 Expiration. Every permit issued shall remain valid for a period of 365 days after issuance. The Building Official is authorized to grant, in writing, one or more extensions of time, for periods not more than 180 days each. The extension shall be requested in writing and justifiable cause demonstrated.
(Ord. 2019-10, eff. 1/1/20; Ord. 2022-06, eff. 1/1/23; Ord. 2025-05, eff. 1/1/2026)
Subsection R108.2 of Section R108 of Chapter 1 of the California Residential Code, 2025 Edition, is amended by adding subsections 108.2.1 through R108.2.3 to read as follows:
R108.2.1 Fees.
(1) 
General. Fees shall be assessed in accordance with the provisions of this Section or shall be as set forth in the current City of Santa Maria Schedule of Fees and Charges.
(2) 
Strong Motion Instrumentation Program (SMIP) Fees. In addition to all other permit fees a fee equal to .013% of the valuation for residential structures and .028% of the valuation for non-residential structures, or current fees set by the State of California, shall be paid to the Building Official as required by the State of California Resources Code for the strong motion instrumentation and seismic hazard mapping programs.
(3) 
Scanning Fees provided for in the current City of Santa Maria Schedule of Fees and Charges within the City of Santa Maria Municipal Code shall be paid to the Building Official at the time of issuance of the building permit.
(4) 
Certificate of Occupancy and Temporary Certificate of Occupancy Fee. A fee provided for in the current City of Santa Maria Schedule of Fees and Charges, will be paid to the Building Official for the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy or Temporary Certificate of Occupancy for any occupancy classification or for the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy when no building permit has been issued.
(5) 
Appeal Hearing Fee as noted in Section 9-1.203 of this ordinance.
(6) 
Fee for the installation of a mobilehome for commercial or industrial use is the same as the maximum permitted for residential mobilehomes in Section 1020 of Title 25 pursuant to Health and Safety Code § 18613(f).
(7) 
Inspections of buildings to determine their compliance with applicable Codes or regulations will be conducted upon receipt by the Building Official a written request for such inspection from the property owner or authorized representative and upon payment of a fee for such inspection and investigation based upon the current City of Santa Maria Schedule of Fees and Charges, for each hour or fraction thereof of inspection or investigation time. The minimum fee shall be for one hour of inspection.
(8) 
Reduction of permit fees for duplicate residential buildings. In dwelling construction only, where a master set of plans, including a master plot plan is submitted in the application for one (1) or more building permits for duplicate buildings, an initial plan check fee for each different building design shall be charged as specified in this Section. Fees to be charged are as set forth in the current City of Santa Maria Schedule of Fees and Charges:
(A) 
Model home plan check fees are subject to "Custom Dwelling" fees.
(B) 
Duplicate home permit fees are subject to "Production Tract Dwellings" fees.
(9) 
"Express" Plan Review Fee: shall be charged for expedited phasing of the plan review in accordance with the City's Express Plan Review Policy and the additional fee shall be equal to the full plan review fee which is 43 percent of the building permit fee.
R108.2.2 Special Investigation Fees: Whenever any work for which a permit is required by this Code has been commenced without first obtaining said permit, a special investigation shall be made before a permit may be issued for such work. An investigation fee, in addition to the permit fee, may be imposed subject to the discretion of the Building Official whether or not a permit is then or subsequently issued. The investigation fee shall not exceed the amount of all permit fees required by this Code for the unpermitted work. The payment of such investigation fee shall not exempt any person from compliance with all other provisions of this Code nor from any penalty prescribed by law.
R108.2.3 Fee adjustments by resolution. Authorized. The fees provided for in Section R108 shall be established and amended by City Council resolution.
(Ord. 2019-10, eff. 1/1/20; Ord. 2022-06, eff. 1/1/23; Ord. 2025-05, eff. 1/1/2026)
Subsection R108.5 of Section R108 of Chapter 1 of the California Residential Code, 2025 Edition, is amended in its entirety to read as follows:
R108.5 Refunds. The Building Official may authorize refunding of any fee paid hereunder which was erroneously paid or collected. The Building Official may authorize refunding of not more than 80 percent of the permit application fee when an application for a permit is withdrawn or canceled before any plan review is done. The Building Official shall not authorize refunding of any fee paid except on written application filed by the original applicant not later than 180 days after the date of fee payment.
(Ord. 2019-10, eff. 1/1/20; Ord. 2022-06, eff. 1/1/23; Ord. 2025-05, eff. 1/1/2026)
Section R116 of Chapter 1 of the California Residential Code, 2025 Edition, is amended by adding new subsection R116.6 to read as follows:
The provisions of the California Plumbing Code 2025 Edition and Appendices A, B, D, E, G, H, I, J, K, and subsequent editions as adopted by the State of California, Building Standards Commission or successor agency, as published by the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials, are adopted by reference, subject to the additions and amendments set forth in this Chapter.
(Ord. 2019-10, eff. 1/1/20; Ord. 2022-06, eff. 1/1/23; Ord. 2025-05, eff. 1/1/2026)